Self-heated or self-cooled towel

ABSTRACT

A self-heating or self-cooling towel is disclosed that includes a moistened cloth material surrounding and attached to a flexible reaction vessel which comprises two compartments containing reactants which are separated by a frangible seal. Manipulating the disclosed towel ruptures the frangible seal, joining the compartments and mixing the reactants, and causing an exothermic or endothermic reaction. The reaction heats or cools the moistened cloth-like outer material and keeps it at an elevated or depressed temperature for a period of time, during which the towel article may be used for various personal care, cleaning, medical, therapeutic, and other purposes.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Appl. Ser. Nos. 62/823,055 and 62/828,710 filed on Mar. 25, 2019 and Apr. 3, 2019 respectively. These applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to articles, such as towels, that can be either self-heating or self-cooling and can be used for various personal care, cleaning, medical, therapeutic, or other purposes.

BACKGROUND

Heated and cooled moist towels and cloths have a variety of uses including personal care, cleaning, medical, and therapy. These uses can include cleaning the body, treating shock, nausea, headaches, migraines, general cleaning or disinfecting, cleaning wounds or sores, relaxing or tightening skin, moisturizing skin, opening or closing skin pores, and other uses. Moist towels, both hot and cold, can be used within the home or medical center, and are presented to people for personal care and cleansing in hotels, restaurants, airlines, trains, events, spas, massage parlors, salons, barber shops, and fitness centers among other locations. Typically, preparation of the disclosed towels can involve a heating or cooling source and water or other liquid, which are typically available at these locations.

However, the need or desire for a heated or cooled moist towel may occur at various locations and times. Various packaging, packs, compresses, poultices, wraps, and thermophores have been developed utilizing endothermic or exothermic chemical reactions to be self-heating or self-cooling, portable, and disposable, but these do not sufficiently address the needs of a user of for a heated or cooled moist towel or towelette.

SUMMARY

There is a need for self-heating or self-cooling moist towels that can be portable, economical to produce, disposable, and long-lasting. Specifically, some embodiments of the disclosure can provide self-heating or self-cooling wet towels. The self-heating or self-cooling can continue for a period of time during use. Additionally, the disclosed towels can achieve a sustained duration of temperature change for use as a heat or cold pack, can allow for activation at an arbitrarily chosen time, can contain and separate the reaction from the user, can require no addition of external heat energy or materials for activation including water and air, can provide a single structure compatible with self-heating or self-cooling configuration through changing of the reactants, can achieve flexibility of the complete article to bend and conform during use can allow economical mass production, and can allow convenient disposal.

In order to achieve the objects and advantages, a self-heating or self-cooling towel is disclosed that can include a moistened outer material surrounding and attached to an impermeable inner flexible reaction vessel which has two compartments containing reactants which are separated by a frangible seal. In some embodiments, the outer material can be a cloth or cloth-like material such as a nonwoven.

Manipulating the disclosed towel can rupture the frangible seal, joining the compartments, mixing the reactants, and causing an exothermic or endothermic reaction. The reaction can heat or cool the moistened outer material of the disclosed towel and keep it at an elevated or reduced temperature for a period of time, during which the towel article may be used for various personal care, cleaning, medical, therapeutic, and other purposes. The disclosure is exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.

In one aspect, a towel is disclosed that can a flexible reaction vessel. The reaction vessel can include a first compartment that contains a first reactant and a second compartment that contains a second reactant. The disclosed towel can also include a frangible seal that can separate the first compartment and the second compartment. The disclosed towel can also include a cloth that can at least partially form an outer surface of the towel. In some embodiments the cloth can include a liquid solution. When mechanically manipulated, the frangible seal can be broken joining the first compartment and the second compartment to produce a combined compartment. The combined compartment can allow the first reactant and the second reactant to mix thereby releasing or absorbing heat depending upon whether the first reactant and the second reactant undergo an exothermic or an endothermic reaction. In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of compartments separated by a plurality of frangible seals. The liquid solution can include a cleaning solution, a detergent solution, a cosmetic ingredient, a drug, and/or a medicinal product.

In another aspect, a towel is disclosed that can include a flexible reaction vessel. The reaction vessel can include a first compartment containing a first reactant and a second compartment containing a second reactant. The disclosed towel can include a frangible seal separating the first component and the second component and can also include a cloth at least partially attached to the reaction vessel and at least partially forming an outer surface of the towel. In some embodiments, the cloth can include a liquid solution. In this disclosed embodiment, the first reactant and the second reactant can mix and can activate microorganisms. In some embodiments, the activated microorganism can be structured and configured to at least partially degrade the towel.

In yet another aspect, a method of using a towel is disclosed that can include providing a towel. The towel can include a flexible reaction vessel where the reaction vessel can include a first compartment that can contain a first reactant and a second compartment that can contain a second reactant. The disclosed towel also can include a frangible seal separating the first component and the second component and a cloth that can be at least partially attached to the reaction vessel and can at least partially form an outer surface of the towel. This disclosed method also can include breaking the frangible seal. Finally, the disclosed method can include mixing the first reactant and the second reactant to form a reaction mixture such that the reaction mixture causes the temperature of the towel to change.

In this application,

the term “cloth material” refers in general to cloth-like materials which may be woven or non-woven, natural or synthetic. Non-woven cloths may spunbond, meltblown, spunlace, carded, wet-laid, air-laid, needle punched, among other types of manufacturing processes;

the term “frangible seal” refers to a seal that is designed to be purposefully broken.

the term “impermeable” within this context should be interpreted as highly resistant to passage of liquid and gas.

the term “liquid solution” refers to any low or high viscosity liquid, gel, serum, lotion, paste, or the like applied to the cloth material of the article;

the term “reactant” refers to any substance that when combined with another substance produces a heat producing or heat absorbing reaction. The numbering of reactants is done for ease of description, and does not indicate priority or necessity of matching with compartment number. Numbered reactants may generally be switched in location with the same result;

the term “reaction vessel” refers to the portion of the article which contains the reactants, and within which the reaction takes place. The reaction vessel excludes the cloth material and also excludes the liquid solution, except for embodiments in which the liquid solution is specifically noted to be contained in a compartment;

the terms “resin” and “polymer” are used interchangeably; and

the term “rupture” refers to the breach of a formerly impermeable frangible seal, initiating the contact mixing of the reactant materials; and

the term “vehicle” refers to solvents or other excipients that are used in the disclosed reaction vessels to deliver reagents.

The above summary is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment of every implementation of the present disclosure. The brief description of the drawings and the detailed description which follow more particularly exemplifies illustrative embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description should be read with reference to the drawings. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following description with respect to various examples in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel being held in a hand;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towe before mechanical manipulation;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel before mechanical manipulation showing two different cloths;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel after mechanical manipulation;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembly of a disclosed towel;

FIG. 6 is cut-away planar view of an exemplary embodiment of a reaction vessel of a disclosed towel;

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel folded at a frangible seal and contained in an envelope;

FIG. 8 is a planar cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel showing a three-compartment reaction vessel with one compartment containing an exterior opening frangible seal;

FIG. 9 is a planar cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a flexible reaction vessel of a disclosed towel showing a shaped frangible seal;

FIG. 10 is a planar cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an exemplary reaction vessel of a disclosed towel showing a diagonal frangible seal; and

FIG. 11 is a planar view of an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed towel on the face of a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying set of drawings that form a part of the description hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration several specific embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or sprit of the present disclosure. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

This disclosure teaches the construction and operation of a flexible wet towel article which can reach a different temperature from ambient through an exothermic or endothermic reaction of self-contained reactants which are activated through rupturing of a frangible seal. In general, the disclosed towel (also referred herein as the “article”) may be constructed to either increase its temperature, “self-heating,” or to decrease its temperature, “self-cooling.” Unless specified, the description can apply equally to self-heating and self-cooling towels. In the following section, for ease of reading, the article will be occasionally referred to as “self-heating.” Each reference to “self-heating,” or an “increase in temperature,” should be read as “self-heating or self-cooling,” and “an increase or decrease in temperature” in accordance to the choice of exothermic or endothermic reactants.

The life cycle of the disclosed towel can be described as including five generalized time periods: the time of manufacture, the time of storage, the time of activation, the time of use, and the time of disposal. The time of storage refers to the period of time after the article has been assembled, but before its heat reaction has been activated. The time of activation refers to the time when the frangible seal is ruptured, the reactants are mixed, and the reaction is initiated. The time of use refers to the time period between when the reaction has been activated, while the temperature of the article is changed, and while it is being used for a purpose. The time of disposal refers to the time period after the time of use including any recycling, composting, degrading, or trash disposal. Different aspects disclosed here have particular application to each of these different life cycle time periods.

In one aspect, a self-heating or self-cooling towel is disclosed as described in the above summary. The disclosed towel includes a flexible reaction vessel. The flexible reaction vessel is described in more detail below. Its flexibility allows a user to mechanically manipulate the towel by squeezing, twisting, or otherwise adding mechanical energy to the towel that results in the rupturing of a frangible seal contained in the disclosed towel. The flexible reaction vessel includes a first compartment containing a first reactant and a second compartment containing a second reactant. The flexible reaction vessel can be made of materials that are impermeable to the first reactant and the second reactant and any vehicles and other constituents that are present in the first reactant and the second reactant. Additionally, the disclosed towel can include a frangible seal separating the first compartment and the second compartment. Finally, the disclosed towel includes a cloth that can be at least partially attached to the reaction vessel and can also at least partially form an outer surface of the towel. The cloth can include a liquid solution. In some embodiment, the disclosed towel can include a plurality of compartments and a plurality of frangible seals.

Various embodiments of the disclosed towel and methods of using the disclosed towel can be further understood and are further illustrated in the accompanying figures. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed towel being held in a hand. Typically, the disclosed towel is small enough to be manually applied by a user, for example, holding it and using it for various purposes described herein. In some embodiments, these the disclosed towel may be used for personal care, cleaning, medical, and therapeutic uses. Exemplary personal care and cleaning uses for the disclosed towels include but are not limited to cleaning of hands and face, sponge baths, for use in spas and/or for massage or skin treatments, or for cleaning of surfaces not on the human body such as counter tops, handles, cooking equipment, medical equipment, and sports equipment. Exemplary medical uses of the disclosed towels can include lowering the body or skin temperature after physical exertion or during fever, treatment of headaches and migraines, or as a heat pack or cold pack for muscle or medical therapy.

The disclosed self-heating (or self-cooling) towel 20 can be flexible such that it can bend and conform or drape to the body or a body part. For example, FIG. 1 shows self-heating (or self-cooling) towel 20 conforming to a hand. Towel 20 can also conform to a body part or surface to which it is being applied to allow for contact with the surface to which it is being applied.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate some embodiments of the disclosed towels. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed towel before mechanical manipulation. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment before mechanical manipulation showing two different cloths. In FIGS. 2 and 3, towel 20 includes two compartments—first compartment 32 and the second compartment 33. First compartment 32 and second compartment 33 are separated by frangible seal 23. Compartment 32 and second compartment 33 are both contained within impermeable seal 46. Impermeable seal 46 can be a multi-layer polymer sheet that can be a barrier to most liquids and gases. Impermeable seal 46 can be permanently bonded by, for example, hot melt sealing or ultrasonic welding. Frangible seal 23 can be significantly weaker than impermeable seal 46 and can be intended to be the first point of failure as pressure is applied to the compartments by manipulation. Frangible seal 23 can have sufficient strength such that it remains impermeable to reactant one 24 and reactant two 25, keeping the reactants separate during the time of storage. At the time of use, however, frangible seal 23 can be ruptured through normal human effort of mechanical manipulation such as, but not exclusive to squeezing or twisting.

The disclosed towel also includes cloth 31 at least partially attached to the exterior portion of the towel. FIG. 2 shows cloth 31 completely covering and attached to the outer surface of impermeable seal 46. FIG. 3 shows two cloth materials—first cloth 21 covering one side of impermeable seal 46 and second cloth 32 (made of a different material from first cloth 21) on the opposite side of towel 20. One or more cloth materials can completely surround impermeable seal 46 (surrounding the whole periphery of towel 20) or may only partially cover one or more portions of the impermeable seal. Cloth materials 31, 21, or 32, or all may be uniformly attached across the entire outer surface of towel 20 or may be selectively attached at selective areas or in a pattern.

To aid in mechanical manipulation, it may be beneficial for the user to easily distinguish between compartment one and compartment two and whether the contents of the two compartments have been mixed. In some embodiments it may be useful to identify which compartment or compartments to manipulate, to identify whether the reaction has occurred, and to indicate the temperature. In one or more embodiments, the reaction vessel and cloth material can be translucent. In one or more embodiments, one or more reactants can be colored, and that color can be visible through the reaction vessel and cloth material. In one cooling embodiment, reactant one can be blue. In one example heating embodiment, reactant two can be red. In one embodiment, the reactant mixture can change to a different color than reactant one and two. In one embodiment, the reactant mixture can change color according to the temperature of the reaction mixture. In one or more embodiments, the reaction vessel can be marked with a color or symbol on the impermeable barrier material or on the cloth material layer such that it is visible from the exterior. In another embodiment, the at least one portion of the towel can change color according to temperature.

Frangible seal 23 may be of arbitrary shape. FIG. 6 depicts a straight rectangular frangible seal 23. FIG. 10 depicts a straight, diagonal frangible seal 66. Different frangible seal shapes may rupture more or less easily for a given manipulation, such as a twisting manipulation or a squeezing manipulation. FIG. 9 depicts an embodiment in which the seal width narrows toward the center of the seal 62. Shaping the seal may concentrate the pressure force and cause likely rupturing first across the center, narrow portion 63. Other embodiments may have a frangible seal 23 which can be shaped to have a narrow portion 63 of a different shape.

In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel can be folded at the frangible seal 50 as shown in FIG. 7. In at least one embodiment the folded or unfolded disclosed towel can be contained within an exterior envelope 51. Exterior envelope 51 can completely or partially enclose the disclosed towel during the time of storage. Exterior envelope 51 may be made of any packaging material, such as a rigid packaging material like a cardboard box or clamshell container; or a flexible packaging material such as a polymer film, a metalized plastic film, a metal foil, or a multi-layer combination of films. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, exterior envelope 51 may serve to keep the disclosed towel it in its folded shape.

An exterior envelope 51 is removed prior to the time of use. An exterior envelope 51 may serve to keep the disclosed towel clean before the time of use by preventing contact with dirt and microbes. An exterior envelope 51 may serve as a multi-purpose barrier, such as a liquid barrier, a vapor barrier, an oxygen barrier, a scent barrier, both keeping exterior material away from the disclosed towel, and keeping the disclosed towel components such as the cloth material and liquid solution together.

Frangible seal 23 may be of arbitrary shape. FIG. 6 depicts a straight rectangular frangible seal 23. FIG. 10 depicts a straight, diagonal frangible seal 66. Different frangible seal shapes may rupture more or less easily for a given manipulation, such as a twisting manipulation or a squeezing manipulation. FIG. 9 depicts an embodiment in which the seal width narrows toward the center of the seal 62. Shaping the seal may concentrate the pressure force and cause likely rupturing first across the center, narrow portion 63. Other embodiments may have a frangible seal 23 which can be shaped to have a narrow portion 63 of a different shape.

Cloth material 31, 32, or 21 or all can be attached to impermeable seal 46 through normal adhesive lamination methods that can include hot melt adhesives, chemically reacting adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, etc. or through ultrasonic, radio frequency, or other welding methods. Cloth materials can include non-woven or woven webs. Typically, non-woven materials can be used since they can be cut to arbitrary size and shape without unraveling or requiring edge finishing to prevent unraveling. Additionally, non-woven cloths tend to be lower cost than woven cloth webs. In at least one embodiment, cloth material layer 31 may not cover entire reaction vessel 29 and may instead cover one side or select portions of arbitrary shape and size. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel can have a plurality of different cloth material layers 31. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel can have a first cloth material layer 21 on one side, and a second cloth material layer 28 on another side. In at least one embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, the disclosed towel can have a rough side for abrasive cleaning 28, and a smoother side for wiping 21. In at least one embodiment the disclosed towel can have a second liquid solution 42 applied to an area of the cloth material. In at least one embodiment, second cloth material layer 28 and the second sheet of impermeable flexible material 26 are chosen such that the second side is more heat insulating than the first side.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an activated disclosed towel after rupture of frangible seal 23. In FIG. 4, frangible seal 23 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) has been ruptured thereby joining first compartment 32 and second compartment 33 and mixing reactant one 24 and reactant two 25. The resulting reaction mixture 38 can undergo an exothermic reaction releasing heat or can undergo an endothermic reaction absorbing heat. Exothermic reaction can increase the temperature of towel 20 and endothermic reaction can decrease the temperature of the towel. FIG. 4 shows activated towel 20 having one cloth, 31, completely surrounding and attached to towel 20.

In some embodiments, including those illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, cloth materials 31 and/or 32 include a liquid solution. In at least one embodiment, the liquid solution may contain a cleaning, disinfectant, or antimicrobial agent. In at least one embodiment, the liquid solution can contain a cosmetic product or solution. In at least one embodiment, the liquid solution can contain a drug or medicinal product. In at least one embodiment, the cloth material can be embedded with silver nanoparticles.

In at least one embodiment, a liquid solution can be applied to the cloth material at the time of use. This may have multiple advantages, including, but not limited to stability, oxidation, and/or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms. The liquid solution may be the same or different as reactant two.

In at least one embodiment, the liquid solution can be applied at the time of use, and the cloth is initially dry. A dry cloth has the additional advantage of being a disadvantageous environment for the growth of microorganisms and may allow a longer time of storage.

In at least one embodiment, the liquid solution may be contained in an additional compartment, which may be attached to the disclosed towel, attached to the exterior package, or not attached to either. If it is attached to the disclosed towel, it may be mechanically affixed, or it may be constructed as part of the flexible reaction vessel. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel can have different liquid solutions on different sides of the disclosed towel, separated by the impermeable sheet material. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the different liquid solutions on different sides can have medical or therapeutic use. In one embodiment, one side contains a liquid solution, while the other side is dry. The liquid solution may contain anti-microbial preservative agents. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed towel may be produced using aseptic techniques, and or may be sterilized at the time of manufacture.

In at least one embodiment, at least one impermeable seal 46 along the edges may be formed using heat sealing. In at least one alternative embodiment, at least one impermeable seal 46 along the edges may be formed using ultrasonic welding. Additionally, frangible seal 23 can be formed through ultrasonic welding. In at least one embodiment, the frangible seal 23 can be formed with an additional between and adhered to the impermeable flexible sheets. In at least one embodiment, the frangible seal 23 can be formed from a multi-layer flexible sheet material in which one of the layers forms a frangible seal at one sealing temperature and forms a permanent seal at a different sealing temperature. Ultrasonic welding may have multiple advantages such as tight control of seal rupture strength, and the ability to seal through contaminants including liquid. This may convey the advantage of increased reliability of both permanent bonded and frangible seals.

The use of ultrasonic welding for making the final compartment seals may have the advantage of allowing the seal to be made through any material that has stuck to the inside surface of the compartment. This may have the advantage of reducing the failure rate of the seal. The use of ultrasonic welding for making the final compartment seals may have the advantage of reducing the seal width, which can reduce material usage, and can result in a disclosed towel with less welded material around the edges. It may be advantageous to reduce this material, because it is unheated, or it may be uncomfortable, among other reasons.

The use of ultrasonic welding may have the advantage of reducing head space in the package, meaning space within the compartment that is not filled with reactant material or liquid. The use of a fine powder may have the advantage of reducing the space between the reactant material. Reduction of empty space within the compartments may have the advantage of making more complete contact between the reaction mixture and the compartment walls. This may have the advantage of making the exterior surface more uniformly heated or cooled.

Within the first compartment 32 and second compartment 33 are first reactant 24 and second reactant 25 respectively. First reactant 24 and second reactant 25 may be any combination of reactants or mixtures which produce an exothermic or endothermic reaction such that the products of the reaction at the maximum temperature does not cause enough pressure to burst the combined compartment. The reactants may be of any solid or liquid, and may be of granular, powder, paste, gel, or other form. In one or more embodiments, reactant two may contain water and reactant one may comprise an inorganic salt such as magnesium chloride, ammonium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride, potassium sulfate, or others. Reactant one may additionally comprise blends of inorganic salts or other additives resulting in mixtures such as calcium ammonium nitrate, and ammonium phosphate and ammonium nitrate. In one embodiment, reactant one may comprise at least some urea, and reactant two may comprise at least some water.

In one embodiment, which is a self-heating disclosed towel, first reactant 24 includes an anhydrous inorganic salt, magnesium sulfate, in the form of a powder and second reactant 25 includes water. Magnesium sulfate can have a negative, exothermic, enthalpy of solution, meaning that it releases heat energy when dissolved in water.

The total heat energy available may be controlled by changing the amount of the reactants. The activated temperature of the pack may be controlled by altering the ratio of reactant one to reactant two. For granular or powdered reactants, the rate of reaction may be controlled through the size of the reactant particle. A coarse or larger diameter particle has a lower surface area to volume ratio and will generally react more slowly than a fine or smaller diameter particle. A person skilled in the art may employ other usual methods to control the temperature profile, such as through the addition of material of high thermal capacity or through the addition of a “phase change material” which changes phase from solid to liquid at a given temperature. Such phase change materials may be added to any part of the disclosed towel, including to the reactants, to the impermeable flexible material, and/or to the cloth.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, first cloth material layer 21 and second cloth material layer 28 can be attached to the exterior of impermeable seal 46 (outer layer of the disclosed towel). Flexible reaction vessel 29 includes first compartment 32 and second compartment 33 which can be formed from first sheet of impermeable flexible material 22 and second sheet of impermeable flexible material 26 as shown in FIG. 5. First cloth material layer 21 and second cloth material layer 28 are labeled as a single cloth layer cloth material layer 31 in FIG. 2. First and second cloth material layers 21 and 28 may be attached to first sheet of impermeable flexible material 22 or second sheet of impermeable flexible material 26 or both.

Typically, cloth material layer 31 can be attached to reaction vessel 29 using hot melt adhesives. Many hot melt materials are resistant to chemicals, making them unlikely to interact with liquid solution 27. Direct welding through heating, ultrasonic welding or other joining method of cloth material layer 31 to reaction vessel 29 as described herein would provide an additional advantage of requiring no additional adhesive to join the sheets. Additionally, the present embodiments inclusion of liquid solution 27 can increase heat transfer from the disclosed towel to the user.

In another embodiment, the disclosed towel can be pre-moistened, where liquid solution 27 can be applied to cloth material layer 31 before packaging and storage. In such a configuration liquid solution 27 can be present at the time of activation and use. Advantages of this configuration can include but not be limited to convenience for the user, and reduction of packaging materials.

When the disclosed towel is to be used, it can be mechanically manipulated through squeezing, twisting or the like. Such mechanical manipulation can cause frangible seal 23 to rupture through separation of the two opposing faces as shown in FIG. 4. The integrity and impermeability of impermeable seal 46 between first sheet of impermeable flexible material 22 and second sheet of impermeable flexible material 26 can be maintained, thereby forming a combined compartment 37 in which the reactants can become exposed to one another and form reaction mixture 38. In one embodiment, this mixing can result in an exothermic reaction which can heat cloth material layer 31 and absorbed liquid solution 27 within it and can keeps it at an elevated temperature for a period of time.

In at least one embodiment, first sheet of impermeable flexible material 22 and second sheet of impermeable flexible material 26 may alternatively be formed from a single folded sheet of impermeable flexible material. In at least one embodiment, the first cloth material layer 21 and second cloth material layer 28 may be formed from a single folded cloth material layer.

In some embodiments, the disclosed towel can contain a plurality of reactant compartments and a plurality of reactants. In at least one embodiment, the same disclosed towel can contain one or more cooling reactant pairs as well as one or more heating reactant pairs. In at least one embodiment, the activation of the one or more reactant pairs can be chosen by rupturing the corresponding frangible seal or seals.

In at least one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7 the disclosed towel can be contained in exterior envelope 51. FIG. 7 shows first compartment 32 that contains first reactant 24 and second compartment 33 that contains second reactant 25 folded at folded frangible seal 50. In this embodiment, cloth material 31 embedded with liquid solution 27 completely surrounds reaction vessel 29. Reaction vessel 29 (including both first compartment 32 and second compartment 33) as well as cloth material 31 and liquid solution 27 are all contained within exterior envelope 51. In some embodiments exterior envelope 51 can be, a metalized multilayer plastic film or a foil. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel may have the shape of a ring 72 as shown in FIG. 11.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, liquid solution compartment 56 is integrated into reaction vessel 29 to hold contained liquid solution 55. In this embodiment, a corresponding additional exterior opening frangible seal 58 may be added to release contained liquid solution 55 into cloth material layer 31. For the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the cloth material may not have a liquid solution in it at the time of storage, and may be dry until the time of use when the disclosed towel is manipulated and exterior opening frangible seal 58 is broken to release liquid solution 55 into the cloth material layer 31. Additionally, cloth material layer 31 may have one liquid solution in it at the time of storage, and at the time of use when the disclosed towel is manipulated, the exterior opening frangible seal 58 can be broken to release a second liquid solution 55 into the cloth material layer 31.

In another embodiment, the exterior of the disclosed towel can contain hook-and-loop, straps, strings, adhesive or other common method of mechanical attachment such that it may be easily positioned and affixed to the body or to another object. In at least one further embodiment, this easily positioned and affixed embodiment can contain a drug or medicinal product. This would allow the simultaneous temperature change and application of medicine, which may further enhance its effectiveness.

The combination of a change in temperature with moisture may confer combined advantages over just moisture or temperature change alone. For example, the addition of heat may increase efficacy of cleaning. Additionally, a wet towel better can transfer heat, and a flexible, conforming material can allow both better heat transfer and cleaning efficacy.

The simultaneous presence of a change in temperature and a liquid may provide combinatorial effects that are greater than their individual advantages. In one example of a combinatorial effect, a common treatment for a cut would be to clean the wound, and then apply a cold compress. Reducing the temperature of the area is generally known to reduce blood flow and swelling. In one embodiment, it may contain an antiseptic cleaning solution and get cold. This may allow the user to simultaneously clean while reducing the temperature of the wounded area.

While it is in general possible to achieve this effect in another way, because the cold generator may be contained in a flexible package, it is easy to manipulate, and therefore more convenient than other solutions. For example, a cold gel pack or a bag of ice wrapped in a towel is inconvenient to clean with. A cold wet towel can increase its temperature quickly, especially when in contact with the body or another warm surface. By directly attaching the flexible cloth to the flexible heating element the disclosed towel allows simultaneous cleaning and temperature change with extended time of temperature change.

Moistening a towel with a liquid may increase its usefulness for many functions, a few of which are listed here as examples. It may wet the surface for enhanced cleaning ability. It may create a therapeutic effect with placement on the body. It may be used in the treatment of injuries or illnesses.

Furthermore, the liquid solution may be chosen to enhance its function. In one embodiment of the disclosed towel, the towel may contain cosmetics, lotions, medications, etc. for treatment of the skin, eyes, ears, lips, or other body parts. In another embodiment, it may contain cleaning solutions such as soaps or solvents for cleaning of the body or for general cleaning purposes. The moisture of the liquid solution typically does not interfere or interact in any way with the heat reaction. The present embodiment may be completely submersed in liquid without interfering with the heat reaction.

Applying different liquid solutions on different sides of the disclosed towel may be a significant advantage of convenience. It is not possible to have two solutions on the opposite sides of a normal wet towel, but because the two sides of are separated by a liquid impermeable sheet layer, it is possible in at least one embodiment. There are any number of two-step or two-solution processes such as cleaning, then moisturizing skin; applying cleaner and then rinsing; applying a solution and then drying; applying a cleaning solution for a cut, and then applying an antibacterial salve.

The described embodiments enjoy many advantages over towels which are heated or cooled using external equipment. They require no additional equipment such as a refrigerator, freezer, oven, or microwave. They require no external power for heating. They require no additional components, and limited handling is required, with a single step for activating the temperature change.

Once activated, one or more of the described embodiments can be heated or cooled quickly, typically much faster than cooling or heating in a refrigerator or oven. At least one described embodiment maintains its temperature for longer, increasing the available time of use, and allowing use while it continues to be heated. Additionally, this efficiently uses the available energy, by never removing the heat source and allowing all available heat to be used.

However, the temperature change does last for a limited length of time, and because of this, it may be additionally advantageous in one or more embodiments, to individually choose the time when the temperature change is activated. For the present disclosure, the moment of temperature change of each towel may be individually chosen. It need not be heated until the moment that it is ready to be used and allows an extended length of time between when it is prepared, and when it is activated and used.

The construction of the compartments and frangible seal described may provide certain advantages. Frangible seals are in general not simple to reliably produce, and the described embodiments result in a consistent seal, inexpensive production, and a thin package, which is more suitable for use as a towel. It has been observed that premature activation can be a common problem among commercially available hot and cold packs, and reliability can be poor. Frangible seals can rupture at a certain pressure, typically chosen to be low enough to be achieved by hand, but high enough to not be activated during normal handling.

One method of creating a frangible seal can be to use a frangible polymer film that is designed to peel or break such as ethylene propylene peel polymer, polybutylene-polyolefin copolymers and some ionomers. An exemplary mixture can be a polybutylene-LDPE-EVA blend, 15% PB-1 blended with 55% LDPE, 10% PB-1 blended with HDPE, where LDPE is low density polyethylene, PB-1 is a commercially available grade of polybutylene (polybutene-1) available from Lyondelbasell, Houston, Tex., and HDPE is high density polyethylene, available from Boedecker Plastics, Inc., Shiner, Tex. Frangible polymers are available under the tradenames ALLEGRO (epoxy resin); APPEEL (peelable resin available from Dow, Midland, Mich.); BYNEL (adhesive resins also available from Dow); ELVAX (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resins available from Dow; NUCREL ethylene acrylic acid copolymer resin available from DuPont; PROPAPEEL (polypropylene sealants available from Paxxus, Addison, Ill.; SURLYN ionomers available from Dow; and others.

At least one of the present embodiments describe a fold along the frangible seal which can create the advantage of creating a higher rupture pressure while folded than when unfolded. This has the advantage of potentially reducing accidental or premature activation during packaging, shipping, and or other handling before intended use. Additionally, the authors noticed condensation and dripping occurring on commercially available cold packs with smooth plastic exteriors. The present embodiments inclusion of a cloth material also prevents this.

In one or more heating composition embodiments, reactant one 24 may be one or a mix of multiple other anhydrous inorganic salt with an exothermic heat of solution. Examples of these include magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride, ferrous sulfate, zinc chloride, zinc sulfate, sodium sulfate, and similar. In alternative cooling composition embodiments, reactant one 24 may be an anhydrous inorganic salt, with an endothermic heat of solution such as ammonium nitrate, or an organic compound with an endothermic heat of solution such as urea.

In one or more embodiments of the cooling composition, reactant one 24 can be urea in the form of a powder and reactant two 25 can be water. Additives may be added to the solid or liquid reactants as is commonly known in the art to improve mixing, reduce caking, and alter the freezing point. In at least one embodiment, the disclosed towel can be initially frozen, cooled, or heated and then is activated at a later time such that its latent heat and reaction heat may both be used, or so that a pack may be first cool from refrigeration, then heat when activated, or vice versa.

In some of the described embodiments, the combined reactants of inorganic salts and water, and the combined reactants of urea and water can occupy substantially the same volume when combined as they do individually. This is advantageous for the manufacture of a fixed volume container which has no exterior venting. Additionally, they create no additional gas, which would have the effect of causing poor and/or uneven heat transfer. Additionally, the described embodiments allow economical production of a package structure which can be used for both a hot product and a cold product.

The embodiments describing a plurality of reactant chambers may be advantageous because the disclosed towel may reach a multitude of different temperatures by rupturing frangible seals in a chosen order and at a chosen moment in time. The liquid mixture may reach a chosen temperature profile at a different time. This may be useful, for example, in a common muscle therapy hot and then cold or for returning the disclosed towel to a neutral temperature when its use has concluded.

The described embodiments have no vapor permeable barriers and release no gasses from the reaction to the user. It may be advantageous to keep the user out of contact with the reacting chemicals and with potentially high temperature and harmful steam. Because the disclosed towel typically does not contact with air, it may not need an air-permeable membrane, and can be different in form. The cloth material may completely surround the reactant compartments, making efficient use of available area. It is also advantageous in simplicity and economy that the present embodiment needs no selectively air or water permeable layers.

Examples

In one example, a disclosed towel was constructed as follows. 30 mL of water was used in the first compartment with 7.5 g of powdered magnesium sulfate in the second compartment. The temperature of the towel rose by 24° F. in 20 seconds after activation, reached a maximum of 121° F., and had a temperature of 109° F. after 11 minutes.

In another example of a folded embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 7, the pressure supported by the frangible seal with and without folding was tested. The example embodiment supported the full weight of a 190 lb. man while folded, and quickly ruptured from the same weight when not folded. Identical examples were easily able to be ruptured by hand.

At least one of the embodiments of the disclosed towel may be thought of as “disposable” in that the disclosed towel may be of low enough expense that it may be disposed of after use. In another embodiment, the disclosed towel may be considered compostable or bio-degradable. In this embodiment, the impermeable sheet material and/or the cloth material may include compostable or bio-degradable materials.

Impermeable sheet materials may include a single or multilayer structure. Sheet layers may include resin films such as, for example, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, or polyester. Sheet materials may include metal layers such as metalized resin film or aluminum foil or aluminum alloy foil. Sheet materials may also include biodegradable resin films such as polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT).

In at least one embodiment, an organic reactant such as urea may be used. In at least one embodiment, an additional biodegrading or compost-enhancing substances, such as enzymes, microorganisms, or nutrients may be added to the reactants. Microorganisms may include bacteria, archaea, protozoa, algae, and fungi. The additional bio-degrading or compost-enhancing substance may be a dry culture, and may be added to a dry reactant one 24 such that it remains inactive. On activation of the disclosed towel, liquid hydrates and activates the culture and allows it to begin degrading the interior of the combined compartment 37. In some embodiments, enzymes may include hydrolases, lipases, esterases, cutinases, PETases, or other enzymes. In some embodiments, microorganisms may include Enterobacter asburiae YP1, Bacillus sp. YP1, Brevibacillus, Aneurinibacillus, Pseudomonas, Ideonella sakaiensis and others, which are known to degrade polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and others.

Embodiments with microorganisms may have the advantage of degrading other materials beyond the disclosed towel itself. In this case, the disclosed towel may serve as an “incubator” where the degrading microorganisms are grown, eventually breaching the combined compartment and then continuing to degrade other material either in the compost or in the landfill. This could result in the effect that throwing the disclosed towel in the landfill would cause a net reduction in the landfill volume.

The preceding description and accompanying drawings contain many specificities, however these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of one or more embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

For example, the exterior disclosed towel may have other shapes or sizes such as circular, oval, eye-mask, horseshoe, ring-shaped, etc.; the seals may be formed in a different way or some seals moved or removed through alternate construction; layers described as single layer structures may be constructed from multi-layer structures; different methods of rupture may be used including mechanized or automated; the disclosed towel may be used for a purpose not described, etc. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Various modifications and alterations to this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is not intended to be unduly limited by the illustrative embodiments set forth herein and that such embodiments are presented by way of example only with the scope of the disclosure intended to be limited only by the claims set forth herein as follows. All references cited in this disclosure are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A towel comprising: a flexible reaction vessel, wherein the reaction vessel includes a first compartment containing a first reactant and a second compartment containing a second reactant; a frangible seal separating the first compartment and the second compartment; and a cloth at least partially attached to the towel and at least partially forming an outer surface of the towel.
 2. A towel according to claim 1 wherein the cloth comprises a liquid solution.
 3. A towel according to claim 2, wherein mechanically manipulating the towel breaks the frangible seal, joins the first compartment and the second compartment into a combined compartment, and allows the first reactant and the second reactant to mix and form a reaction mixture, thereby releasing or absorbing heat and changing the temperature of the cloth material and the liquid solution.
 4. A towel according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of compartments and a plurality of frangible seals.
 5. A towel according to claim 4, wherein at least two of the plurality of compartments can be joined by rupturing at least one of the plurality of frangible seals.
 6. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the flexible reaction vessel is impermeable to the first reactant and the second reactant.
 7. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the first reactant comprises water and the second reactant comprises an inorganic salt.
 8. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the first reactant comprises water and the second reactant comprises urea.
 9. A towel according to claim 1, wherein one or more seals are made by ultrasonic welding.
 10. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the cloth comprises a non-woven.
 11. A towel according to claim 1, comprising a phase change material.
 12. A towel according to claim 2, wherein the liquid solution is selected from a cleaning solution, a detergent solution, a cosmetic ingredient, a drug, and a medical product.
 13. A towel according to claim 1, wherein the cloth comprises a mechanical attachment.
 14. A towel according to claim 13, wherein the mechanical attachment is selected from hook-and-loop, straps, strings, and adhesives.
 15. A towel according to claim 12, wherein the liquid solution comprises an antiseptic.
 16. A towel according to claim 1, comprising a fold along the frangible seal, and further comprising an exterior envelop that contains the towel.
 17. A towel according to claim 1, wherein one or more reactants comprises a color.
 18. A towel comprising: a flexible reaction vessel, wherein the reaction vessel includes a first compartment containing a first reactant and a second compartment containing a second reactant; a frangible seal separating the first component and the second component; and a cloth at least partially attached to the reaction vessel and at least partially forming an outer surface of the towel, wherein the first reactant and the second reactant mix and comprise enzymes.
 19. A towel according to claim 18, wherein the microorganisms biodegrade at least a portion of the towel.
 20. A method of using a towel comprising providing a towel that includes a flexible reaction vessel, wherein the reaction vessel includes a first compartment containing a first reactant and a second compartment containing a second reactant; a frangible seal separating the first compartment and the second compartment; and a cloth at least partially attached to the reaction vessel and at least partially forming an outer surface of the towel; breaking the frangible seal; and mixing the first reactant and the second reactant to form a reaction mixture, wherein the reaction mixture causes the temperature of the towel to change. 